Book binding and method of making the same



Sept. 4, 1934. c. L'ENFANT BOOK BINDING AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed April 20.l 1933 Patented Sept. 4, 1934 UNlrro STATES Book BNDING No Mr :rnon or MAKiNG THE SAME Charles LEnfaht, Brooklyn, N; Y; Application Aprile@ 193s, smal No, 666,968 6 claims. (ci.v .281;35)

,This invention relates to an improved binding or cover for books, and more particularly to what is generallyreferred toas a limp leather bindlng.

The invention has for its general object and purpose to provide a new method of making such bindings, whereby the marginal edge Aportions extending beyond the edges of the book `leaves willV retain an inwardly bent position in angular relation to the opposite sides or covers vofthe book.

It is 4very desirable in certain kinds of books such, for instance, as bibles, that the extended edges of the book covers shall retain a more or less fixed angular relation to the planes of said covers and in over-hanging relation-to the gold edges of thebook'leaves to thereby afford more or less protection to the latter, and also minimize cracking or disgurement of theedge portions of thel book covers, due to frequent and excessive flexing of the same. 'f

It is also affurther general object of the lifnvention to provide an improved limp leather book cover as a new article of manufacture whi'chinayy berapidly manufactured at very low costin labor and materials.

With the aboveand other objects in View, the invention consists in the improved book binding and method vof making the same, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and subsequently incor-L porated in the subjoined claims.

n the drawing wherein I have shown one simple and practical embodiment ofthe invention, and in which similar reference characters desig nate corresponding parts throughout the several v-iews,-` Y

Figure l is a plan view of the cover or binding sheet of leather, imitation leather or other niaterial, having flexible reinforcing parts and a1irl-y ing sheet applied thereto; Y

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the completedbindi'n'g, parts thereof being broken away;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2';

Fig. 4 is a similar view of a' modified construction; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a book provided with my new binding.

Referring in detail to the drawing, Solesigliatcs` the body sheet of the-flexible binding which' be of real or imitation leather or other suitable nexible material, and is cut to the Vp'red'eteimined size and shape. Upon the innerface of this birid-y ing, and at opposite sides of its center', reinforce-"- ments vof paper or other flexible materialk gener` ally indicated at 6 is securediby means of a suit'- able adhesive. edges of these reinforcing sheets shown at 7 extendV in'paiallelfrelat-ioii to each other, while the remaining edges of each reinforcing sheet are Tnenopposd spaced apart inner.Y

disposed in suitable spaced parallel relance 1in- War'd froni"the corresponding edgesof the body'A sheetv. if desi-red, the ytwo sections 6 of `rein'- forcing material may be cut from a sii'lgle'slieet, remaining integrally connected at their upper and lower ends by narrow strips of Athe material,`as' indicated at 6'; In spaced parallel-relation to each of the upper andlcwer end edgesof the reinforcing slieets, one or more longitudinal slots 8 are provided therein, and in'sp'ac'ed relation from the outer vertical edge of each reinforcing sheet similar slots 9 are formed therethrough.

After thev slotted paper reinforcing sheets have been applied to thev body 5 of the binding, a iinishing or lining sheet l0 of fabric or other suitable flexible material is then applied.. over the reinforcing sheets and adhesi'vely` secured thereto, said lining sheet extending to the extreme' outer edgesrof the reinforcing sheets.

. The projecting edge portions Iofthe bodysh'eet 5 are now turned inwardly andfadhesively se cured. upon Vthe edges of the lining sheetl as indicated at lllw'l'he centralportion ofthefnishi-ng sheet l0 is cutout as shownat l2 to expose the, inner face of the binding 5, to which, the signatures of the book are secured at their back edges, in the manner now commonly employed in this art. v

The binding, vas above described, is nowcompleted by-forriiing a groove, depression or score indicated at 13 in the fabric finishing sheet l0 and in line with the slots 8 and il in the reinforcing shets 6. A second relatively light score line 14 is theny impressed in the outer edge ofY the fabric finishing sheet v10 at the inwardly turned edges of the body sheet 5. v

After the book signatures haveV been assembled and properly secured to the innerface of the back of the binding, the edges of the ,latter are then angularly bent Y'along the vscore line 13 loo so that the marginal edge portions of the bindingY of uniform width will extend at an appreciable angle to the planes of the coverformirig portions of the binding which extend over the book leaves. The lgold leaf applied to the edges of the bock, leaves, as' is common in biblesv and other books of betterqu'ality, isA thus protected. Also, due to the provision of the slots 8 'and 9i`n the paper reinforcing sheets 6, these edgeportio'ns of the v binding 4will not Vreturn to their yforlrler positions,

substantially in the planes of the bockleaves. Tlius, in the use 'of the book,- thes'e edges' ofthe binding maintaining their angular inwardly bent relation to the book covers, will notbe subjected to excessive flexure with liability of cracking orf marring of the outer surfaces of the sides of the' book cover at their junctiire'with said edgepo'rL tis* [lf 'f rFigl of th drawing, I illustrat"a- 'slightly modified form of my invention, in which instead lloY of using the separate paper reinforcing sheets 6, the body of the binding is of relatively thick leather or other flexible material. On the inner side of this binding sheet 5 in spaced relation to its edges, portions of the material are cut out or removed to provide the longitudinal grooves as at 8 therein corresponding to the slots 8 end g,V while the marginal edge portion of the material v on the inner face of said sheet is also removed` as indicated at 15, so that said edges are relatively thin. In this case, the inner facing sheet `l is then adhesively secured in place and extends over the entire relatively thickportion of -the body sheet sheet are then inwardly'folded and adhesively secured to the thicker portion of said sheet. The marginal edge portions ofthe body and facing sheets are then bent vinwardly along the grooves 8', so that without additional reinforcement, they will retaintheir positions substantially in predetermined angularA relation to the cover formingside portions of the binding.

From the foregoingA description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction, and method of making my improved book binding will be clearly and fully understood. It will be evident that the method of manufacturing is exceedingly simple and may be accurately and rapidly carried out so thatsuch book' 1 bindings can be produced in large quantities with a minimum of labor and with a minimum of expense incident to the use of labor and materials. I

While I have herein shown and described several rsimplefand practical embodiments of the invention, it will nevertheless be understood that the same may also be embodied-invarous other alternative-forms, and I accordingly reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes therein as may be fairly incorporated within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. l Y

I claim: 1. A binding for books comprising a body 'sheet of flexible material, iiexible reinforcing sheets secured to the inner'face of said body sheet on the cover forming portions of the latter and having outer end and side edges inwardly spaced from the edges of the body sheet andV provided in spaced parallel relation thereto with longitudinally extending slots., an inner facing sheet adhesively secured upon said reinforcing sheets, the marginal edges of the body sheet being inwardly folded over the edges of the facing sheet andadhesively secured thereto, said facingsheety having a .continuousy depression or score line therein in spaced relation to its edges and in line with the slots in the reinforcing sheets, whereby the marginal edge portions of the binding may be bent alongsaid score'line and said slots, to re-` main in a position at an appreciable angle with respect to the planes of the cover formingv portions of the binding. i

2. A flexible binding for books comprising a body sheet of iiexible material having relatively thick cover forming portions with parts of thematerial thereof removed along lines extending in parallel relation to the marginal edges of saidv .cover forming portions of the binding to render said marginal edges, after flexing, incapableof resuming their original positionsby force vof inherent elasticity, whereby said marginal edgesof the binding may be angularly bent to remain The thin edges of thebody in a permanent position at an appreciable angle With respect to the planes of the respective cover forming portions of the binding.

3. The method oi making a flexible binding for books which consists in cutting a sheet of flexible material to provide a body forming blank of, predetermined size and shape, then cutting reinforcing sections of flexible material, each correspondingin shape to one of the cover form- Ving portions of said body sheet and providing slots through saidv reinforcing sheets in spaced relation to the marginal edges thereof, then adhesively'securing said reinforcing sheets to the cover forming portions of said body sheet and in inwardly spaced relation to the edges of the latter, thenadhesively securing an inner facing sheet upon said reinforcing sheets and over .the slots therein, thenlfolding the edgeportions of the body sheet inwardly and adhesively securing the same to said reinforcing sheet, then scoring or grooving said facing sheet to provide a continuous groove therein in spaced relation to its marginal edges and in line with the slots in the reinforcing sheets, whereby, after securing the book leaves to said body sheet between the reinforcing sheets, the marginal edge portions of the binding may be bent along said score line and the slots in the reinforcing sheets .to permanent positions in inwardly projecting angular relation to the cover portionsy of the binding and overlying the edges of the book leaves.`

4. A resilient binding cover for books contain` ing a stiifening and strengthening sheet element, the cover with said velement having projecting marginal portions bendable angularly with respect to the body of the cover toglie in close relation to the edgeof the book for protecting the edges ofthe signatures-thereof, the material of said element along'lines corresponding with the inception of the marginal portions having openings therein whereby to reduce inherent r'esiliency and render said lmarginal portions permanently incapable of resuming their original unbent positions after they have been bent to position for protecting the edges of the signatures of the book.

5. In a binding cover for books whichincludes a resilient body sheet having attached thereto a resilient reinforcing sheet to stiffen and strengthen the same, said vsheets being of` a size to form inwardly bent protective marginal portionscfor the book signatures at the end and side edges of the'book, said reinforcing sheet having therein spaced openings at the inception of the bends at the end and side edges of the book to afford thereat a permanent inherent reduction in resiliency whereby when the marginal portions are bent inwardly to protective positions they will remain substantially in such inwardly bent protective positions.

6. A binding cover for books comprising a body CHARLES LENFANT. 

